Ella rushed toward him, her arms yanking and tugging him into an abrupt hug.
“Are you okay!”
He winced, “Ow.” but let her continue the torture of the hug until she calmed in his arms.
She pulled back, looking over his pained expression, his face clasped in her hands, “Did you win?”
Braxton shifted against her, “I wouldn't say I exactly won, he ran off though.”
She didn't like the sounds of that, “Let-let's clean the blood off you.” She went to pull him forward by his bicep but he stumbled. “Are you really hurt?”
“I don't know.” He took a few staggered breaths. “He got a few kicks in on me.”
Grabbing his dishevelled dress shirt, she undid the buttons till she could pull back the clothing to reveal his bruised side.
“Oh, Braxton...” Her eyes stared at his damaged side, perhaps the host of a cracked rib or more.
“It's alright, Daniella.” He went to limp forward but she stopped him.
“Come to the bathroom.” She helped him walk but he didn't seem to like her hanging off him, so she tried to lighten her touch.
Helping him sit to the edge of the tub, she pushed her hands beneath the sleeves of his shirt and helped him remove it. He cringed through the process and when she had it free of his body, she turned to the sink in search for a cloth to clean the blood off him.
“I should just shower.”
She glanced at him, “Can you stand long enough to do that?”
He smirked at her comment, “I'll be fine.”
She shook her head, thinking about much of a typical boy he was, and continued to get a warm facecloth ready. Walking back over to him, she sat beside him and he let her clean his face to her surprise.
He watched her as she slowly cleaned his lips, his forehead and gently, the cut across his brow. Lifting his hand, he lowered the cloth between them.
“Did you know who that was?”
She shook her head. “I have no idea.”
“Just going off my basics instincts of bad news, he filled every single one of them.”
A shiver trickled her spine as she stood again, cleaning the cloth. “Are you a black wolf?”
He paused, “No, I'm more white and grey, why?”
“Because the--” She noticed her hands starting to shake.
“What is it, Daniella?”
“There was a black wolf a little over a week ago, he rushed my vehicle.”
“You never said anything.” His voice etched with concern as it deepened in his chest.
“No, well, we weren't really speaking.” She sat back next to him and he pulled away before she could continue to clean his brow again.
“So, he's stalking you?”
“I don't know,” she whispered, “I don't see why anyone would want to stalk me.”
“Logistics of these type of things usually don't add up, other than you're beautiful.”
“Well, that's just creepy, Braxton.”
He winced, “It's true.” Standing, he did so very slowly.
“Maybe you need to see a doctor.”
He smiled at her, “You're cute but I would appreciate it if you helped me get to my bed, since you won't let me shower.”
“I just don't think it's a good idea is all,” she said softly as she took his near bicep.
“Yeah, it's probably not.” He limped out of the washroom and she stayed glued at his side as they navigated the stairs. Counting three times he almost face planted the steps but luckily she caught him each of those times. They got to his room and she flipped on the lights as he staggered over to his bed and started to remove his belt.
“I have some sweatpants in that middle drawer.”
She glanced at him as he tried to remove his pants and walked to his dresser to find him what he wanted.
“I think these pants are ruined.”
She showed up at his side, “I'm sorry you got hurt.”
“Don't be sorry, Daniella, I would do it all over again if I had to.”
Her heart did a sputter from his words as she handed him the sweat pants. “Do-do you need help?”
He dropped the waist on his dress pants and painfully, slipped on the jogging pants. “Maybe I did break a rib.”
“Are you serious!” Her insides twisted at the thought, she knew she wouldn't be able to leave him this injured and she wondered if Braxton would even let her leave anyway. They hardly knew one another but he seemed very protective of her, of course, who wasn't protective of their mate. She could feel herself pulling toward Braxton Hall the more time she spent with him.
He sat down on his bed, breathing deep, “There's nothing that can be done. It'll just take me a few days to heal.”
“This is insane. I can't believe this--”
He took her hand and it stopped her mid sentence. “I'll be okay.”
She choked on her swelling emotion. “I hope so.”
He pulled her down beside him. “I'm not sure it's safe for you on your own. I'd like you to stay here.”
She nodded, not being able to argue a word of it. “I'd rather not leave you anyway, he's obviously strong.”
“I'm guessing an alpha. Based off the five minutes I spent with him kicking my ass.”
She winced, “I'm sorry, Brax--”
“Oh, shh.” He leaned into her, taking her chin so he could kiss her gently.
Her hand lifted and she continued to kiss him, pulling back just centimetres from his lips. “Thank you for what you did and for the evening before all this happened.”
He kissed her again but their lips parted with the soft groan of his pain. “I need to lie down.”
She nodded, watching him lay flat to his back.
“Ow.” He took another moment to get his pain in check.
“I can get you some sort of tylenol?” she offered.
“There's some in the bathroom down the hall.”
She left him as he groaned again, trying to get comfy. Finding the pills in the bathroom, she also went on a mission to get him a glass of water. She returned several minutes later, “Okay, here you go.”
He dropped his hand on his forehead. “You can turn off the lights if you want, I have a lamp on the nightstand.” He tried to reach to turn it on but she didn't let him.
“Don't do that, Braxton!” Grabbing his hand, he gave up on his reach. She sat down, handing him the pills and the water.
He sat up as much as he could, swallowing the medication. The more time that passed the more pain he seemed to be in and she didn't like that.
She shut off the lights in the room and flicked on his lamp, “I can't sleep in this dress.”
“It is pretty though.” He commented with a soft smile of approval, “You can have your pick of my clothes.”
She nodded, walking to his dresser as he managed to reach and turn on the small flatscreen mounted to the wall of his room.
“Do you like baseball?”
She smiled, shifting through his drawers, “I'm not big on sports.”
“But you like chasing cows, isn't that what they call it?” he joked.
Turning with a large shirt in her hands, she gave him a playful sneer.
He smirked. “Just wearing the shirt to bed, then?”
“Don't get too cocky, or I'll sleep downstairs.”
“Oh, I'll behave, I can hardly move remember?”
She excused herself from the room and walked down the dark hall toward the bathroom. Spending a few minutes to find some soap and a hairbrush, she took her time getting ready to sleep in bed with her mate, this time voluntarily.
Walking back into his room, she ran a hand through her hair to fluff it and work out the hairspray left.
Braxton glanced over to her, he'd propped himself up with some pillows, remote for his television in hand. She walked over to the bed in the oversized shirt and smiled back at him.
“What?”
“Oh, nothing,” he gloated, watching her sit next to him.
She adjusted the blankets around her legs. “Nothing?”
“Well, you're not nothing,” he breathed against her cheek.
She pushed her shoulder against his. “What are we going to do about this stalker guy?”
“I texted Aaron and Cade. They're doing a sweep of the area.”
“Oh.” She was stunned by his proactive authority. “W-who are Aaron and Cade?”
“They live here in the house, both from Crest. Aaron Williams, he'll be my beta, one day that is and Cade Foster, is Cheri's older brother, we're all good friends.”
Ella nodded, twisting her nervous hands around one another, he took them though and it stopped her torture hand meddling.
“I won't let anything happen to you, Daniella.”
She looked to him, meeting his eyes.
“As long as you let me protect you,” he finished his thought.
She leaned into him, raising her hand to her mate's cheek so she could kiss him.
He groaned, looping his arm around her lower back and pulling her closer, till she was too close and his ribs got knocked.
She pulled back. “You should rest.”
“Come here.” He sunk into the pillows, bringing her into his side as he continued to watch a baseball game and she fell asleep, in his arms.
#
Ella woke to knocking at Braxton's bedroom door and neither of them were quite awake when it shot open.
“Braxton.”
“Jeez, Aaron.” Braxton grumbled as Ella's eyes went wide and she tucked herself under the covers, against Braxton's bare chest.
“We didn't find anything last night.” Aaron informed in the most formal voice Ella had ever heard.
“Alright...” Braxton paused, “I'll be down in a bit.”
“Cade's going to class. I'll make coffee.”
The door shut and Braxton lifted the blanket to reveal Ella's embarrassed face. “Sorry, babe.”
She sat up, careful of his bruised side, “He seems very to the point.”
Braxton smiled. “Yeah, that's Aaron. He's blunt but he's a nice guy.”
“Mhmm.” She attempted to leave the bed but Braxton stopped her.
“How'd you sleep?”
She shrugged a shoulder. “How did you? Do you feel better?”
“Sure.” He answered with a distracted voice, his eyes doing most of the talking and it made Ella blush again.
“What are you looking at?”
He smiled with a boyish grin. “It's like the first time you've slept in my bed and not tried to run away.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “That's not funny.”
He was laughing though. “Well, don't you think we should celebrate?”
She wrinkled her nose, holding in her smile as he moved toward her, obviously sucking up his pain in hopes of a kiss. Her eyes cascaded his muscled chest, making her wonder what he'd be like once they were mated. Her eyes went wide from her thoughts and he chuckled.
“What are you thinking, Daniella?”
“N-nothing.” She went to get out of the bed but he grabbed her waist, raising his hand to sweep her bangs from her forehead.
“So, you're not thinking anything?” he pressed, nearing his mouth to hers.
She bit her lip, “No.”
He leaned in to kiss and she pulled back, “Uh-oh, I made you mad.”
“No.” She smiled. “I'm just starting to think you like me.”
His smirk returned. “No, I--”
She put her mouth to his before he could continue his thought. Brushing herself against him, she moved closer till his hand came to the inside of her bare thigh.
A moan caught in her as her lips parted his, her eyes falling to his hand.
His arm on her waist tightened. “I so badly want to touch you, Daniella.”
She withdrew from him, standing and his hand fell from her inner thigh to the bed.
He sighed, “sorry.”
She gave him a sideways glance, “We better go downstairs and talk to your Beta about last night.”
He chuckled.
“I mean--” She tried to get her head straight, “Your friend.”
“Yeah,” he breathed, limping out of the bed, “my friend.”
She caught him as he tripped trying to walk forward. “You're a mess.”
“It's just the broken rib.” He moved out her arms more steady than before, and grabbed his dresser for support once he was across the room.
“You know, I can bring you breakfast or something.”
He grunted, looking through his clothes.
“You-you don't have to get out of bed.”
He pulled a shirt over his head and turned to her, “I'll be alright.”
“Whatever you want.” She watched him move to the door, “I'll be down in a minute, unless you want help--”
He left his room and she slipped back to his bed, rolling her eyes at herself. Thinking about her mate and his hand, how he might touch her, if she ever gave him the opportunity. Never in her life had a boy made her think so much, want so much... she jumped back to her feet and put her dress back on from the night before.
Downstairs, she followed the voices of Braxton and Aaron talking in the kitchen and entered, stopping the door frame. She hadn't formally been introduced to Aaron after all and she didn't want to just want in and interrupt their conversation.
Braxton paused what he was saying from the table, “There you are.”
“Changed, brushed my hair,” she explained, now getting her first look at Aaron Williams. He was a tall, leggy sort of fellow with a buzz cut and narrow, blue eyes.
She lifted her hand in hello.
“Aaron, this is Daniella Turner, my--”
“Luna.” Aaron gave her a nod.
Ella's eyes went to Braxton as he cringed.
“Dude.” Braxton snapped, “Not there yet.”
Aaron kept his stone expression as he stared at her, “My apologies, Daniella.”
Braxton rolled his eyes, wincing as he adjusted his weight in his chair.
“It's just Ella.” She corrected him.
Braxton grumbled, “Let's continue the conversation we were having.”
“Yes.” Aaron looked to him, “As I was saying, Cade found nothing but a set large paw prints and the scent left from the wolf, wasn't anything we recognized.”
Ella moved to the kitchen table and sat across from Braxton, “Maybe, he's not from here?”
“I wouldn't think so, no.” Aaron agreed with her, “We can try going out again tonight.”
Braxton ran a hand through his hair, “Well, I just don't want you two getting hurt. Look what he did to me.”
“What are you suggesting?” Aaron asked, “We bring in members from Crest, get them searching too?”
“Oh, no!” Ella exclaimed and both the men looked to her.
“What, Daniella?” Braxton was staring at her.
She sat back in her chair, trying not to look too nervous. “I don't think it's that big of a deal..”
“Yet.” Aaron pointed out.
“Yeah, yet.” Braxton agreed, looking back to his friend, “I'll inform my parents.”
Aaron gave him a nod, “I'm going to watch the basketball game.”
“Sure.” Braxton and Ella watched him walk out of the kitchen and she lowered her voice, hoping Aaron wouldn't hear her.
“I really don't think, I need your pack involved, Braxton.”
“Why not?” He was confused, “You're my mate. As Aaron pointed out, future Luna.”
Ella winced but brushed past it. “That's it though, I can probably just tell my uncle.”
“In Texas?” he laughed at her.
Ella shrugged, “He'll help.”
Braxton shook his head, “I'm sure he's got enough going on.”
“No.” She breathed, thinking of the baby her aunt and uncle were expecting and knowing Braxton was right.
“So, in the mean time, Aaron will go with you to class. Starting tomorrow morning. You can't miss anymore classes.”
Ella laughed, thinking he was kidding.
“What?” Braxton asked, watching her outburst.
Her amusement faded. “Are you serious?”
“Very.”
She sunk into her chair. “Like a body guard?”
He shrugged, “Just until we get a handle on this situation.” He even talked like an Alpha and it was all of a sudden, hitting Ella.
She stared at him, blinking.
“I can't allow you to get hurt, Daniella. I can't even let the chance of it happen.”
Her body numbed as the reality with her mate sunk in. He was in charge of her now and she literally had no other choice in it, and that, was a hard pill for her to swallow.